were blind, because they ftumbled fometimes upon the tombs, and becaufe they could not get out from among them. Then, faid Chriftian, What means this? The fhepherds then anfwered, Did you not fee a little below thefe mountains a file that led into a meadow on the left hand of this way? They answered, yes. Then faid the fhepherds, From that ftile there goes a path that leads direly to Doubting Caftle, which is kept by giant Defpair, and thefe men (pointing to them among the tombs) came once on pilgrimage as you do now, even till they came to that fame ftile. And because the right way was rough in that place, they chofe to go out of it into that meadow, and there were taken by Giant Despair, and caft into Doubting Castle; where, after they had been a-while kept in the dungeon, he at laft did put out their eyes, and led them among thofe tombs, where he has left them to wander to this very day, that the faying of Prov. 21. 26. the wife man might be fulfilled, He that wanderoth out of the way of underftending all remain in the congregation of the dead. Then Chriftian and Hopeful looked upon one another, with tears gushing But but ver faid nothing to the shepherds. Then I taw in my dream, that the shepherds had them to another place in the bottom, where was a door in the fide of an hill, and they opened the door, and bid them look in; they looked in therefore, and faw that within it was very dark and fmoaky; they alfo thought that they hear rumbling no fe, asf fire, and a cry of fome tormented, and that they finelt the icent of brimitone. Then laid Coriflian, What means this! Abye way to hell. The thepherds tuid them, This is a byeway to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at, namely, fuch as fell their birthright, with Elau; fuch as fat their Maiter, with judas; fuch as blafpheme the gospel, with Alexander; and that lye and diffemble, with AnnaBaan Sapphira his wife. Then faid Hopeful to the fhepherds, I perceive that thefe had on them, even every one, a fhew of pilgrimage, as we have now, had they not? Shep. Yes, and held it a long time too. Hope. How far might they go on pilgrimage in their days, fince they, notwithilanding, were thus miferably call away? Step. hat I doubted of the truth of your belief myself, but to rove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit f the honeft of thy heart. As for this The fruit of an nan, I know that he is blinded by the god boneft heart. of this world. Let thee and I go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth, and no lie is of he truth. Hope. Now I do rejoice in hope of the glory of God, fo hey turned away from the man; and he, laughing at them, vent his way. I faw then in my dream, that they went on till they ame into a certain country, whofe air naturally tended to make one drowzy, if he came a ftranger into it. And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy to fleep; whereore he faid unto Chriftian, I do now be. in to grow fo drow zy that I can scarcely Hopeful begins mine open let us lie down here to be drowzy. hold eyes; und take one nap. Chr. By no means, faid the other, left, Chriftian keeps fleeping, we never wake more. Hope. Why, my brother? Sleep is sweet bim awake. to the labouring man; we may be refreshed if we fhould ake a nap. Chr. Do you not remember that one of the fhepherds bid us beware of the inchanted ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of fleeping; wherefore let us not fleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. Hpe. I acknowledge myfelt in a faults and, had been here alone, I had, by fleeping, run the danger of death. I fee it is true that the wife man faith, Two are better than one. Hitherto hath thy company been my mercy, and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labour. Chr. Now then, faid Chriftian, to prevent drowzinefs in this place, let us fall into good difcourfe. Hope. With all my heart, faid the other. Chr. Where fhall we begin? Hope. Where God began with us. But do you begin, if you pleafe. Chr. I will fing you first a fong. The The Dreamer's Note. When faints do fleepy grow, let them come hither,. Thus to keep ope' their drowzy flumb'ring eyes ;; Keeps them awake, and that in fpight of hell.. Chr. Then Christian began, and faid, I will ask you i question. How came you to think at firft of fo doing at you do now? Hope. Do you mean how I came at firft to look after the good of my foul? Chr. Yes, that is my meaning.. Hope. I continued a great while in the delight of thos things which were feen and fold at our fair; things which I believe now would have, had I continued in them ftill, drowned me in perdition and deûtruction. Chr. What things were they? Hope. All the treasures and riches of the world. Alfo I delighted much in rioting, revelling, drinking, fwearing, lying, uncleannefs, fabbath-breaking, and what not, that tended to deftroy the foul. But I found at last, by hearing and confidering of things that are divine, which indeed I heard of you, as alfo of beloved Faithful, that was put to death for his faith and good living in Va Rom. 6. 21, 22. nity Fair, that the end of these things is Ephef. 5. 6. death; and that, for these things fake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of difobedience. Chr. And did you prefently fall under the power of this conviction? Hopeful at firft Hope. No, I was not willing prefently fouts bis eyes to know the evil of fin, nor the damnation against the light that follows upon the commiffion of it; but endeavoured, when my mind at first began to be fhaken with the word, to fhut mine eyes against the light thereof. Chr. But what was the caufe of your carrying of it thus to the first workings of God's fpirit upon you? Hope. The caufes were, 1. I was ignorant that this was the wol of God upon me. I never thought that, by awakenings from fin, God at firft begins the converfion a finner. 2. Sin was yet very fweet to my flesh, and I loath to leave it. 3. I could not tell how to part with ine old companions, their prefence and actions were fo rable unto me. 4. The hours in which convictions ere upon me, were fuch troublesome and fuch heart-afirightg hours, that I could not bear, no not fo much as the membrance of them upon my heart. Chr. Then, as it feems, fometimes you got rid of your buble. Hope Yes, verily, but it would come into my mind again, id then I should be as bad, nay, worfe than I was before, Cbr. Why, what was it that brought your fins to mind gain? Hope. Many things; as, 1. If I did but meet a good man in the freets, or, 2. If I heard any read in the bible; or, 3. If mine head did begin to ach; or, 4. If I were told that fome of my neighbours were fick; 5. If I heard the bell toll for fome that were dead; or, 6. If I thought of dying myfelf; or, 7. If I heard that fudden death had happened to others; 8. But efpecially when I thought of myself that I must quickly come to judgment. Chr. And could you at any time with eafe get off the guilt of fin, when by any of these ways it came upon you? Hope. No, not I; for then they got fafter hold of my Bonfcience. And then, if I did but think of going back to fin, (though my mind was turned against it it would be double torment to me. Chr. And how did you then? Hope. I thought I must endeavour to mend my life; for elfe, thought I, I am fare to be damned. Chr. And did you endeavour to mend ? Hope. Yes, and fed from not only my fins, but finful company too; and betook me to religious duties, as praying, reading, weeping for fin, fpeaking truth to my neighbours, &c. Thefe things did I, with many others too much here to relate. Chr. And did you think yourself well then? Hope. Yes, for a while; but at the last my trouble came tumbling tumbling upon me again, and that over the neck of all m reformation. Chr. How came that about, fince you were now reform ed? Reformation at laft could not belp, and why wit Hope. There were feveral things broug in upon me, especially fuch fayings as the All our righteoufeffes are as filthy rag By the works of the law no man fhall Ifaiah 64. 6. jullified. When ye have done all the Galatians 2. 16. things, fay we are unprofitable, Luke 17. 10. many more fuch like. From whence I b gan to reafon with myself thus: If all m righteousnesses are as filthy rags; if by the deeds of th law no man can be justified; and if, when we have don all, we are unprofitable, then 'tis but foily to think of hea ven by the law. I further thought thus, if a man runs-a hundred pounds into the fhop-keeper's deb His being a debtor and after that fhall pay for all that he the by the law fetch; yet if this old debt stand ftill in th troubled bim. book uncroffed, the fhop keeper may fo him for it, and east him into prifon till fball pay the debt. Chr. Well, and how did you apply this to yourself? Hope. Why, I thought thus with myfelf: I have, by my fins, run a great way into God's book, and that my no reforming will not pay off that score; therefore I thou think ftill, under all my present amendments, but how shall I be freed from that damnation that I brought myself in danger of by my former tranfgreffions? Chr. A very good application; but pray go on. Hope Another thing that hath troubled me ever fince my late amendment, is, that, if I look'd narrowly into the best of what I do now, I ftill fee fin, new fin mixing itfelf with the belt of what I do. So that now I am forced to conclude, notwithstanding my former conceits of mylif and duties, I have committed fin enough in one day to fend me to hell, though my former life had been faultlefą. Chr. And what did you then? Hope. Do! I could not tell what to do, 'till I brake my mind to Faithful; for he and I were well acquainted. And he told me, that unless I could obtain the righteoufnefs of |